Baia
by FuryPossessed
Summary: Upon learning of Viktoria's death from her previously unknown about child Rose and Dimitri go back to Baia to tell family but as Abe says trouble always goes to Baia once Rose has been there, so what will they do when Abe who is in trouble? ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

**Hey it's me! ... obviously... anyway new fic. Ermmm... Okay this might be complicated: there's a few refrences to my other story (_Camping_) so you'll have to read that to understand a couple of flashbacks and who one of the characters is that will appear at some point in the story BUT the rest of that stroy did NOT happen. The rest of the _VA_ series after _Frostbite_ actually happened in this fic unlike in _Camping_ and most of _Camping_ didn't happen in this fic. Rose still had to go for her q****ualifier at the royal court but that's the only part of Camping that is aplicible to this story (Dimitri didn't even get injured)... Sorry not explained very well if anyone is still confused tell me and I'll try to explain it. **

**This story happens 18 years after Spitit Bound... I hope you like it! **

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The party was a big one – I had learned to expect no less from Lissa – and I was grateful to be stood at the sides doing my guardian thing. It was strange how when we were kids I was the one in the lime light, always looking for attention and it was Liss who would stand back, that now the roles have reversed. Dimitri passed me escorting a drunken Badica Prince to his rooms.

I still got a flutter in my stomach whenever I saw him. He was finally back to the Dimitri I had known and loved back in the days when I as at St. Vladimir's. Once I'd finally accepted that he was different after being a Strigoi and would need time to heal I'd patiently waited for him. But never did I think it would take him fifteen years. For all that time I'd been in constant pain but trying to appear normal. Lissa, of course, had seen through it all, as had Christian and the rest of the people closest to me. Even my mom somehow knew I hadn't been right all these years even though she'd been off in Siberia protecting some royal Moroi. But now we'd been together three years – the best three years of my life.

I looked around the room seeing nothing and everything at the same time – a skill I'd acquired very quickly after graduating. Christian was doing his prince thing. Fortunately he'd gained some social skills since being with Lissa. He was currently charming a raucous group of teenage Moroi girls into quiet submission that they'd lost the bet they'd placed. When they didn't give he caught my eye asking for help. Christian could still be snarky but he, finally, knew when to turn it off. I knew he didn't like these girls much but he had to keep his mouth firmly shut – they were all daughters of the council members.

I, fortunately, had no such obligations. Especially when my charge's husband was about to get socked. I knew the blow wouldn't do any damage to him and that he could easily defend himself, but I grabbed the offending arm in a tight hold.

The arm belonged to one Sophie Zeklos the sister of a guy called Jessie who tried to ruin my already then fragile reputation back in the days of St. Vladimir's. I still hadn't forgiven him and didn't much like Sophie but I still had to treat her with respect.

"Miss Zeklos, Prince Ozera has asked you to calm yourself. If you do not do as he asks I will have to remove you." I said firmly.

Her friends all quietened down and stared at me for a few seconds. They were all wearing ball gowns that came to the floor and looked stunning. I was, admittedly, kind of jealous as I never had time for parties and make up any more but protecting Lissa was my main concern now. One of them, an Ivashkov who reminded me of Adrian in attitude but looked like Tatiana, looked at me with big, round doe eyes.

"That goes for the rest of you too." I said.

They all backed away.

"He fixed the bet." Sophie growled and tried to break my grasp on her. She failed resulting in me pinning both her arms to her side and escorting her out of the room.

She struggled most of the way there which wasn't surprising with how drunk she appeared to be. I hadn't taken tabs on what people had been drinking but it was a safe bet it was the chocolaty ones that didn't taste like they had much alcohol in them. I knew from personal experience what they could do to you. I also knew Sophie wasn't one to make a spectacle of herself like this.

I left her down the corridor, away from the doors of the ball room. She wouldn't make much of a hassle of herself down there. I returned to my position in the ball room and kept my vigil. I couldn't see Lissa anywhere but a quick peek at the bond ensured me she was safe. She seemed happy enough. At least, as happy as she ever did when she had to hold these pointless balls and play cat and mouse with the other royals. The only reason she was holding this one was because of a tradition that was way outdated. She was telling the world that her daughters were now eighteen and could be consulted in political affairs. To do this one had to hold a ball and 'present them to court'. She didn't like the idea but had resigned herself to conduct it with the grace and poise she carried.

It was already getting late; the sun would be rising in about an hour and the party was coming to a close.

"Guardian Hathaway, you're needed." My mother said.

She'd come over with the royal she was protecting and had also been put on shift tonight. I was honestly glad to see her. We still weren't as close as we could have been – our jobs prevented it – but we were definitely a lot closer than we had been. She let her guardian mask drop around me all the time now and I generally told her the truth but there were still times when we got on each others nerves like we had on the ski trip back when I was seventeen, though neither of us had gained any black eyes.

"Sure what's up?"

"The dhampir, Anna, she's arrived and Queen Vasilisa has asked to see her." she started to walk towards a guardian who had the dhampir in question in tow. "You're to stand by in case she's not as docile as we thought."

The girl was about seventeen and looked uncomfortable in the dress she'd been given – a floor length blue halter neck. Her brown hair had been artfully styled in a platted bun at the nape of her neck. Chocolate brown eyes, that I could have sworn I'd seen before, looked around the room. I looked at Mom and we shared a look both knowing she wouldn't pose a threat to Lissa because she was dedicated to our way of life even though she'd only just learned of our existence.

She'd been found three days ago running from a strigoi and ended up at St. Vladimir's. She'd been running for three days from the strigoi and was completely freaked out. Not knowing that vampires were real she thought that she was going insane. Alberta told her all about our world and said she adjusted to the news easily and wanted to become a guardian. There was question if she was ready, if she had the mental capability to become one of us. Lissa, it was decided, was the best person on this side of the planet to decide that because she could read minds – a skill she'd learnt from Oksana. We still didn't know the whole of Anna's story but Liss would know soon enough if she was ready and capable of being a guardian.

"Come with me, Anna." I smiled.

We meandered through the guests and eventually found Lissa in the centre of a group of adult Moroi who were talking to Natalya and Anya, her daughters. She was perfectly at ease, as was Natalya. She wanted to be on the council one day where as the slightly less comfortable Anya wanted to be a guardian. She had fire magic and stood firmly with Christian and Tasha in learning offensive magic.

"Will you excuse me?" Lissa asked noticing us. She stood up, the people around her hastily doing the same.

"Isn't that the dhampir who didn't even know she was a dhampir until a few days ago?" Lord Conta, a tall man with brassy brown hair asked.

"I'm actually here and can _talk_ you know. And my name is Anna." Anna corrected completely sure of herself. Lord Conta looked taken aback at her tone and I had to stop myself smiling. More people like Anna, I decided, were needed amongst the royals.

"I would like to see this." He recovered, but still acted as though she wasn't even there. "Let's see if she has what it takes."

"Ryan, we don't make our guests feel like performing monkeys." Lissa scalded. "Even if you do make me think this place is a circus sometimes."

I bit back another laugh and made sure my guardian mask was perfectly secured. Anna, however, laughed outright. I was starting to like this kid more and more.

"I don't mind, your Majesty, I have nothing to hide." Anna said politely as she curtseyed.

"Very well. Sit next to me." Lissa said making Lord Conta give his seat up to a 'lowly' dhampir. Through the bond I could tell Lissa liked her as well. If Anna had been at school when we were we would have been inseparable.

Anna strode to the seat making Lord Conta look guilty for slandering such a confident young woman. Lissa took her hand and silently studied her never breaking eye contact. As she did I felt the golden magic she was working sing through the bond. It was still as beautiful as it had always been. Still as awe inspiring. Still as dangerous. She worked her magic for a couple of minutes and then it faded leaving me feeling empty after being able to bask in its glowing aura. I felt through the bond and took the blackness it invoked away and put it in a box in my mind until she healed it out of me.

"You'll make a fine guardian." Lissa smiled. Anna smiled too. "You have much to learn but if you apply yourself and train hard you will learn all that you need to in order to become one of our finest."

"Thank you, your Majesty. I won't let you down."

"Anna, the only person you can let down is yourself. I can do nothing for you from here. The only reputation you have to keep intact is your own and I'm confident you can do that."

"I will. Thank you." Anna stood up and curtseyed again before coming back to my side.

I could feel confidence radiating off of her and it shone in her wake. I wondered how the guardian council could have doubted a resolve like hers but I supposed they'd have to make sure to keep the Moroi happy.

"You look tired, you want to go to bed or something?" I asked. We'd walked away from the group of Moroi and were pressing our way through the guests.

"I'd like to get some air first. I've been inside for three days straight. Dr. O keeps worrying that I'm going to break down or something."

I guessed she meant Dr. Olendzki back at St. Vladimir's.

"Okay, I'll take you the long way back." I said pushing open some glass doors.

Gardens skirted this building and the next one which was the guest housing. I could feel dawn approaching and remembered how much I missed sunlight. Lissa was giving me the day off tomorrow since I'd been on duty all day today and I made a mental note to catch up with some much missed vitamin D.

Anna relaxed and looked up to the starry sky. She walked in silence taking in the sights and the air. The stars were brighter here as there weren't any street lights – our heightened senses could manage with the moon light well enough. There were greens and blues in the sky that couldn't be seen in the cities.

"I've never seen the night sky until this week." She said absently.

"What?" I asked. Okay she hadn't lived on a nocturnal schedule but everyone's seen the night sky before.

"I lived in an orphanage of sorts but they didn't let us out at night." She said but I had a feeling she wasn't telling the whole truth.

"When did they – " I didn't get a chance to ask the rest of the question because nausea rolled over me. The kind brought on by strigoi. "Anna," I said reaching for my stake. "run back to the ball and tell the first guardian you see that strigoi are here."

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**SO that's the first chapter. Did you like it? Please R&R so I know your answer! **

**VA belongs to the insanely lucky Richelle Mead... I wish I owned VA :'(**


	2. Anna

**Here's Chapter 2 for all you lovely readers (: Hope you like it please R&R so I know what you think **

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The strigoi came round the corner just then. A Moroi I knew called Daniel. Mia's dad. He ran at me, fangs bared. I kicked him back and then gave him a right hook that sent him flying. He was a new strigoi. Must have turned only a few minutes ago. I didn't worry about the technicalities and implications of his actions now, just staying alive. He came at me again but I was quicker and knocked him to the floor and pierced his heart with my stake.

I couldn't sense any more strigoi. I ran back to the ball checking around as I went. Anna was struggling to open a simple door catch, fear and adrenalin making her clumsy. Another strigoi was behind her. I shouted at her to get her attention. She turned round just as the strigoi lunged for her. Her screamed pierced the air. I was close but a guardian from inside was quicker and leapt through the doors with ease and staked the strigoi.

I knelt by Anna's side. Her neck was heavily wounded. Blood poured everywhere and she was coughing it up. I yelled for Lissa hoping she could hear me. The sounded of the party came to an abrupt stop and people began shouting her name. That she was wanted.

I applied pressure to the wound hoping I wasn't killing her in doing so. I'd taken field medic training but we didn't get taught about anything like this. We got taught to leave them for dead when they got attacked by a strigoi like this. But Lissa would be able to heal her.

By the time I heard her coming my knees were drenched in blood, my hands were indistinguishable from the flesh that had been ripped from her throat and cast aside. She was getting colder by the second, pale too. She was so close to death shock had left her and she was trying to speak her last words.

"Lissa!" I yelled.

A light hand touched my shoulder. Knowing it was her I stepped out the way.

"She'll be fine, Rose." Lissa said, her words, and spirits unconscious affect, calming me.

Again I felt the wonderful bliss of spirit working, burning a bright light through the bond. I watched in amazement as skin knitted back together and blood disappeared, I'd seen this numerous amounts of times on various scales but it was still amazing to see especially considering that Anna had been almost dead a few moments ago. Colour returned to her cheeks and her eyes fluttered open.

"Um, ouch." Anna said as she sat up.

"How are you?" I asked and knelt by her side once more.

"Well that hurt." She rubbed her neck in amazement. "Thanks, Lissa."

I felt someone hovering over my shoulder.

"That strigoi," Mom said, "Was talking to you. Can you remember what he said?"

"That his accomplices were after Lissa."

My heart skipped a beat. We thought we resolved this more than a decade ago. Strigoi hadn't been attacking royals since the attack at school. We'd killed their leader and it was over. Lissa looked worried. Not as worried as I thought she would have a few years ago but worried none the less. I gave her a reassuring look.

"Are you sure he said _accomplices_?"

"Yes, Guardian Hathaway."

"Everyone, inside. Now." Mom ordered.

Lissa helped Anna up and ushered the panicked guests who'd made their way outside into the room. I picked up my stake and went in before Mom. Inside pandemonium ensued as the news travelled round the room. Some people stayed silent in their fear, others shouted about it saying it wasn't possible and that the guardians weren't working hard enough. With that argument came the counter argument which was now old to me – the Moroi should fight alongside them. It was Christmas at the ski lodge all over again. Guardians materialised out of the walls and put their scary faces on which helped calm people, but only a little.

"Rose," Mom practically shouted in my ear to be heard above the noise. "Call HQ. I'll tell everyone here what's going on. Guard the door. Your Majesty, go to the centre of the room. Take Anna with you. Belikov, come with me."

Although I desperately wanted to go with Lissa I knew she'd be safe. There were other guardians with her and I'd instantly know if she was in trouble.

"Move!" a voice yelled through the crowd.

Mom and I looked round to see Christian battling his way towards us. I pulled a disorderly teen Moroi out of the way, breaking up a fight as I did so, allowing Christian to get through.

"What can I do?" he asked.

"Come with us." Dimitri said. Mom gave him her disapproving glare. "He'll only go off by himself anyway, he'll be safer with us."

Mom sighed and then moved out. She didn't like the idea of taking any Moroi who hadn't been combat trained with her much less the queen's husband.

HQ answered the phone and responded just as quickly as they always did. Mom took groups out to scout the whole of the royal court campus and buildings. I was stood, in bloodied clothes, guarding the door. I didn't like being on the side lines. I always had been the on to get into any fight that had come my way and standing around doing nothing was frustrating. I of course knew that I was part of a team and I was needed where I was, but it was frustrating all the same. The wait was anxious for both Moroi and guardians. They were the targets of the Strigoi and we were waiting to hear if our comrades were still alive. The noise of the Moroi soon quietened down to a minimal hum of polite conversation with the odd few talking about the position of Moroi and Dhampirs against the Strigoi.

I stood watching the sun rise over the horizon. I was facing directly into it which was perhaps the worst place any of us could have been placed as I was left counting down time until we were all safe from the immediate threat. Perhaps that's why Mom had put me here – I worked well under pressure. Before too long a misty gray light signalled the sun's imminent arrival. And then the first golden rays of daylight sang on the horizon and fell on my face. Safe.

Then my words came flying back to me: _"This changes everything, doesn't it?"_ and Dimitri's reply: _"Yeah it does."_

I'd said that in the Badica house back when I was seventeen on the day I was supposed to take my qualifier. The day we learnt that humans were helping Strigoi. We weren't safe anywhere, at any time. The moment you forgot that was the moment you pretty much signed your death certificate.

Mom came back with Dimitri Christian through the doors I was guarding. For a split second I almost pounced them but seeing the stakes in their hands stopped me. No Strigoi would be holding one of those. Mom said that Dimitri was with a different group and had just radioed in before I could even ask where he was. Also that there was only one other strigoi found and killed. The moroi were released and allowed to go home. I found Lissa talking to Anna.

Anna had taken her hair down. It was long, the same colour as Dimitri's but softly wavy. The same as someone else I knew.

"Viktoria." I whispered.

Both Lissa and Anna turned to me. Lissa knew the name and had seen photos of her. Her eyes widened in realisation. The same realisation that had hit me seconds before. I kept studding her trying to figure out who the father was. She was taller than Viktoria, had a slimmer build too. Something about her, her wavy hair perhaps, reminded me of a Moroi I'd seen the first time I went to Baia. Viktoria was with him at the time what was his name? Ralph? Ryan? Rolan? Rolan.

Which meant I hadn't been quick enough to save her. Damn.

I figured this was why she left home so soon after I left. I was guessing she didn't want her child to be caught up in a world where you could so easily become corrupted and taken advantage of. All we'd known was that she'd left home with no intention of going back or keeping in contact. Dimitri had told me once he'd visited his family about a year after Lissa saved him. He said he knew we had been good friends and that I deserved to know.

"Yeah she was my mother." Anna said bringing me round.

"Was?" I asked quietly my heart immediately skipping to Dimitri.

"Yeah. She was killed by a truck when I was three."

I felt my heart skip a few beats. Viktoria, although we hadn't parted on good terms, had been a good friend and I'd always considered her as such. I thought about her a lot after Dimitri told me she'd left home and I wondered what she was doing and if she was alright. If she'd go home. I remembered leaving Baia thinking for sure she'd become a guardian unlike most of the women in the town. Everything we'd done together when I was seventeen played trough my mind like a video tape bringing more pain and tears to my eyes.

"Rose," Lissa pulled me into her arms. I hadn't even been aware she'd stood up. Some guardian.

"What the hell am I going to tell Dimitri?" I said numbly. I pulled away and said, "Anna are you sure?"

"I found my birth certificate not long before they destroyed it. It said her name was Viktoria Beli… something."

"Belikova."

"Yeah that's it. Why's it so important and why do you have to tell this Dimi guy?"

"I gotta go." I wiped my tears away and pulled out my cell.

I met Dimitri at home an hour later. I did some more cryingonce I'd showered and changed even though I'd wanted to appear as normal as I could. He opened the door and instead of feeling happy or excited as I normally did I found myself swimming in dread. God, I didn't want to do this, didn't know if I could do this. I know I'd told his family about him being turned strigoi but that was easier because I didn't know or love them as I did Dimitri. Also it had been easier because I was glad to finally tell someone about it, I'd needed to back then. This time I just wanted to go back in time and make sure Rolan didn't go anywhere near her to start off with.

He came in to the lounge and stopped walking. I looked at him and another tear fell from my face. He instantly knew something was desperately wrong. Something so bad it stopped him in his tracks. The last time he'd done that was when Olena had called to say Grandma Yeva had died.

"Rose?" he asked uncertainly.

I opened my mouth to talk and closed it again, no words willing to come out. I looked to the floor but didn't bother to wipe another tear away. Dimitri sat next to me and held my hand. It made the pain of what I had to do that much worse but gave me more resolve.

"Rose, you can tell me." His Russian accent wrapped around me, giving me strength as it always had done.

"Viktoria's dead." I whispered.

I felt him go rigid next to me shock setting in. I looked into his eyes. Oh, god, they were the same as Viktoria's had been when I told her about him being a strigoi. His guardian mask went up another notch and he stayed very still.

"What happened?" his voice was the same as it always was when he was talking business. If it were anyone else I'd say he was being callous.

"Hit by a truck." I sniffed.

"Who told you?"

"Anna." He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "It's obvious when you look at her. Same eyes and face shape, same colour hair. I only realised when I saw her earlier with her hair down. I don't know how I didn't see it before. It's perfectly –"

"Rose, what are you going on about?"

I stopped realising I hadn't told him yet. "Dimitri, Anna's Viktoria's daughter."

He, if possible, became even stiller but let surprise flood his face. I knew he was wondering how it was possible but there was no way to explain it to him. The only way it would become clear was if he saw her. As if reading my mind he stood up and left the house. I followed telling him that Anna was probably with Lissa. He changed direction without breaking stride, to go to her house. She lived a few doors down the road from us.

He entered without even knocking. Eddie, Lissa's other guardian, almost tackled him to the floor thinking he was another strigoi with the speed of his movements. He was still on edge from the earlier events.

Dimitri saw her and stopped in his tacks again. I wasn't used to this happening and almost bumped into him. As he looked at her he knew I was telling the truth. She seemed to recognise something in him as well.

"I don't remember much about her, but she's so much like you." Anna said with tears in her eyes.

Dimitri sat beside her. I wasn't sure what to do but I didn't want to leave so I stood at the edge of the room making myself unseen.

"I'm going to go to Baia to tell my – our – family. You can meet them all and Mom will let you stay there if you want. There's a school and people your own age."

"I'd like that. Will I still be allowed to become a guardian?"

"Yes. I'll make sure of it."

"Okay." She fidgeted. "Err... I'm going to go and get some food. I'll see you round." She left the room feeling uncomfortable.

Then the tear fell from Dimitri's eye. I was by his side in a second holding him in my arms. He let his head rest against my shoulder and we sat like that for half an hour in complete silence. He didn't shed anymore tears but his pain was killing me nonetheless. I didn't let myself cry for his sake.

He swore in Russian and then said, "How the hell am I going to tell everyone?"

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**As ever it is the great Richelle Mead who owns VA, not me. **

**5 reviews woudl be kinda cool before I put the next chapter up. Thankies ;) **


	3. Home

**Sorry it's been a while - back to school after the summer and I've had homework (mostly what I didn't do during the holiday i.e. everything I was supposed to do then - I don't reccomend you do that!) SO finally here's the next chapter - I hope you enjoy! Please R&R so I know what you think! **

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A few hours later we were on a jet heading to St. Basils – the academy in Baia. As soon as we landed we headed for Dimitri's family home. The school day had not long ended so all his nieces and nephews would be home, not that they would remember Viktoria anyway. Paul wouldn't be home, he was guarding a moroi in New Zealand.

Dimitri pulled a key out of his pocket and opened the door. Karolina's three year old son Levi, was in the corridor. He hadn't met Dimitri yet and ran off yelling that there was a strange man at the door. Olena popped her head round the kitchen door and was instantly smiling.

"Dimka!" she pulled him in to an embrace that he held on to just too long for it to be a casual, not pain filled one. "What's wrong?"

"I need to tell you something." He hugged her again and she led him in to the kitchen.

The whole family was there eating some of that black bread I loved. They all stopped what they were doing when they saw him and waited for hugs. They all thought he was fine apart from Karolina. She was the most perceptive of all of them in the house but I didn't think even she was prepared for what he had to say.

Dimitri told them all to sit down and then told them. The kids didn't seem affected. Karolina, Sonya and Olena cried. Sonya's daughter Zoya, the child she'd been pregnant with the first time I was here, comforted her and a boy I didn't know although obviously Karolina's held her. Olena found comfort with Dimitri. Anna almost cried. She admitted she didn't really remember her mother but I think she was affected by everyone's love towards her anyway.

The younger kids, five of them, left the room to do something else. Something on the hob smelt like it was burning. I turned it off and sat on the counter top waiting for everyone to calm down.

The initial shock wore off after about half an hour. Sonya turned to me.

"She cried not long after you left."

"Why? She hated me?"

"No she didn't. She was just angry. Just like Dimitri used to be when he was her age." More tears came to her eyes. "She told me she wished you hadn't parted the way you did. Told me to tell you the next time I saw you. If I ever saw you again."

"Thanks." I said swallowing the lump in my throat.

"Who have you brought with you?" Karolina asked.

Anna stepped forward and introduced herself. "Viktoria's my mom."

They all looked confused. She took her hat off letting her hair fall down to her shoulders and all confusion left them. Karolina stood up and pulled her into her arms. Anna gratefully hugged her back. Knowing who the father was I looked at Sonya to gauge her reaction. She'd paled and shock replaced her confusion. She knew too even though she didn't want to believe it.

"Rolan." She involuntarily whispered. "It – "

"Yes he is." I confirmed.

She swore something and made an oath in Russian. I had a pretty good idea what it was.

"Don't worry I'd like to kill him too."

"She was thinking more along the lines of hanging him from a tree by his balls." Zoya said.

"You do that and _then_ I'll kill him." I found myself smiling.

Karolina and Dimitri looked between us knowing there was more than we were letting on. Dimitri raised an eyebrow at me and I was pretty sure he knew the whole truth too.

The memorial was the next day. It was much the same as Dimitri and Grandma Yeva's had been. Even down to when I went to get some air and Abe appeared out of nowhere.

"Are we going to make a habit of this, _Zmey?" _I asked. I was glad to see him though, even though he was my pirate father who was dealing in illegal stuff.

"Only if you keep appearing without telling me you're visiting." He smiled.

"Honestly, it wasn't a priority." I told him truthfully.

"Be nice, Rosemarie." My mother said appearing out of the shadows.

"Mom?" I really hadn't expected her to be here.

"I heard about Viktoria. I'm sorry."

I fell into her hug and ended up with my face buried in her chest even though she was six inches smaller than me. A few tears escaped but I wiped them away as soon as I stood up.

"Have you got the birth certificate, Abe?" I asked.

I phoned him asking to get a copy of Anna's if he could get one. Anna said the original had been destroyed but he had contacts that could get anything and everything. He pulled an envelope from his pocket and kissed Mom's cheek before backing away to give us some privacy.

"You never take a break from work. Especially after something like what happened the other day. What gives?" I asked.

"My moroi was the other strigoi." She said sadly.

"Oh, God, Mom." I said quietly and pulled her into a hug.

"How's Dimitri dealing with it?"

Mom and Dimitri had the same charges, Sam and Jake. Jake was Mom's official charge but he spent half the time in Glasgow and half the time in America, Sam did the same but his schedule was the other way round to Jake's. So that Dimitri and I could spend more time together and so she could spend time at the academy over in Scotland they had come to an agreement that they would share moroi. Lissa had made sure the guardians in charge of distributing moroi let that happen too.

"I don't know. He didn't tell me and he's been more focused on Viktoria… Anyway what's with the kiss he gave you?" I nodded my head towards Abe.

"Nothing. He's just a good friend." She said looking – I swear – sheepish.

"Mom, there's more in that sentence about your feelings for him than you've let me know in the last eighteen years." She gave me a flat look. "I'm happy for you. Just don't let him screw you over with the cops."

"You don't even know what he does."

"I would if someone would tell me." I teased.

She rolled her eyes and walked back to where Abe as standing. I motioned him to come and talk to me again. Mom gave me a terse look. Alright she didn't need me to do this, and yeah she could probably still beat me a in a fight half the time but I was doing it anyway.

"You hurt her and I swear I will kill you." I said menacingly. "And believe me you'll wish you'd never met me before the end."

"If I hurt her I'd personally make sure you never found out." he bent down to my height. "I'd make sure of that before doing anything else." He said just as threateningly but I saw the amused light in his eye.

"Whatever, _Zmey_. I could beat you in a fight and you know it."

"I'm sure you would." he stood to his full height again. "I want you to leave Baia as soon as possible. There's always trouble here once you've left."

"I will." I nodded once and went back to the house.

Things were just wrapping up. The family were all moving plates and glasses into the kitchen where Dimitri was washing them. I picked up a towel and dried, silently cursing Olena for not having a dishwasher. Dimitri half smiled when I began knowing my hatred of household chores. I smiled back.

Just before I went to bed I checked the bond. Lissa, who was back in America was okay but worried about me. I wanted to send a psychic message to her but couldn't. Stupid, one way bond. I settled for sending a text instead. She sent a thought back to me: _I'll see you tonight. _

As soon as I fell asleep I was pulled into a spirit dream. For once it wasn't Adrian, but Lissa. She hugged me and seeing that I was okay relaxed a bit. I told her about what Mom had told me. I didn't want to be the reminder of more bad news. She said that Dimitri deserved to know if he didn't already. That thought hadn't crossed my mind. Surely he'd already know about his own charge being the strigoi. I decided I'd talk to him in the morning and then asked what had been going on back home.

Anya was even more determined to be a guardian instead of a 'sit around at home moroi' and wanted offensive magic to finally be a compulsory component in school. Whilst she'd been able to get combat class as compulsory offensive magic was still under question. Lissa hoped that what happened at court would speed the rest of the council towards ascent but she doubted it. The council was still full of tradition bound Moroi who were frightened of change. And of the two people who backed that change most – Christian and Tasha. Which was stupid. Just because Christian's parents had become strigoi didn't mean they were going to as well. If anything they were proving that they weren't by being so passionate about it. She grumbled for a while before I interrupted her saying I wanted to go back to sleep.

"Rose, you are asleep." She laughed.

"No offence, but it doesn't really feel like it."

She left me and I was allowed to go back to sleep. Only to hear two words ghost through my mind.

"Little Dhampir."

I inwardly groaned.

"Adrian," I growled before the usual flower garden had even been painted, "Go away or I swear I will _kill_ you." I seemed to be doing a lot of that today.

"I'm only checking up on you."

He was wearing his usual jeans and t-shirt. I was wearing a black dress that I supposed he thought appropriate for the occasion. It clung everywhere and showed a little too much leg. The Nazar was round my neck and the _chotki_ adorned my wrist as usual.

"Check up done." I put my hands on my hips. "Go away, Adrian."

He smiled and lit a cigarette. A glass of something appeared in his hand. "Rose, you're too…" he paused thinking of the right word. "Feisty."

"You didn't seem to mind a few years ago."

He stopped whatever he was doing and looked hurt. I kinda felt bad. I knew he still loved me and always would but I couldn't return his feelings. Not with the way I felt for Dimitri.

The dream dematerialised and I woke up feeling awful. If he'd said something I wouldn't have felt so bad but his silence was uncharacteristic, even more so than his occasional trips down delusion road.

I rested my cheek back on Dimitri's head where he was lying in my arms and fell back asleep in a few minutes knowing there was nothing I could do about Adrian until we got back.

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**Okay so there you go. Let me know what you think (: **

**As ever VA and all it's characters hand story line bleong to Richelle Mead**


	4. Trouble

**Sorry it's been a while - I've had hell with homework adn my internet keeps fudging up. Here's the next chapter. Let me know what you think by pressing that all important button (: **

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I was just sitting down to lunch when the front door slammed closed. Anna came into the kitchen not looking too pleased and plopped herself down at the table. Dimitri turned round from the unit and I had to stop myself laughing. He'd been making the black bread I liked and was half covered in flour. It hung in the tips of his hair and dusted his forehead and nose. It was something I'd never seen before even though we'd been living together for two years now.

"The school can't train me." Anna grouched. "They're running lowon guardians as it is and they can't juggle the shifts so they can teach me."

"It wasn't a decision they made lightly." I reassured her.

"I know but it's annoying all the same."

Olena passed her a drink and smiled at her. "We'll figure it out."

Dimitri disappeared just before we were about to leaven the next day. Anna beckoned me upstairs and pointed me to what had once been Viktoria's room. The door was open and I could see him sitting on the bed looking at nothing and everything at the same time. A few silent tears stained his eyes and fell onto the bed.

"I always thought it would be me first." He whispered.

I sat beside him and held his hand glad he was finally showing normal signs of grief rather than staying stone faced.

"I think she would have become a guardian if she hadn't have been pregnant. She would have been good."

"One of the best."

More tears streamed down his face. I pulled him into my arms and let him cry all the unshed tears that he'd been holding in. I felt a lump form in my throat. Who knew seeing him cry could hurt me so much? We just sat there for a while not saying anything.

Mom was on the plane when we got there as was Abe. She told me she was taking over Alberta's job at St. Vladimir's and that Sam was now going to work full time at court instead of spending half the year in Scotland. Dimitri was going to be his full time guardian. Abe, Abe was just there to be there.

"I guess you'll have something to occupy yourself with not long after I'm gone." I joked.

"No doubt, Rose, no doubt. You could leave Anna with me. My guardians will train her."

"She wants to be a guardian not a corrupt soul. Besides Mom said she could sort something at St. Vladimir's."

"You don't trust me?"

"Not really."

"Rose, it's time to go." Dimitri said standing behind me.

"Yeah. See you round, old man."

"Bye, Rose."

The plane door closed and the engines fired up a few minutes later, launching us into the air. It had been a relief to be behind the wards of St. Basil's because it meant I could drop the walls I had to put up to block out seeing ghosts, now in the air I had to throw them up again. It wasn't much of an effort but it was annoying all the same. Sometimes being shadow-kissed sucked.

As soon as the flight landed Simona the Head of the Guardian Council got on the plane with Lissa following. The captain hurried out of the cabin preparing to grovel instead he ended up going back in the cockpit and starting the engines again.

"Liss, what's going on?" I asked.

"There's trouble in Baia. Ibrahim Mazur has been captured."

Mom, who was already pretty alert, became even more so. "What happened?"

"Strigoi took him not long after you left St. Basil's." Simona said.

"And you're taking an interest because?"

"Rose, he gets all the chemicals the alchemists need for their potions. He also helps protect them. If they can't get the stuff they need or they go after the alchemists themselves – "

I cut her off with a slight wave of my hand to show her I understood. "I get it."

Without the alchemists strigoi bodies would be left everywhere meaning our existence would be revealed and everyone put at risk. Abe was the only guy scary enough to get the stuff they needed, but that would be pointless if the strigoi killed them all off. What the strigoi thought they were achieving by doing this I didn't know but I didn't think they'd do it without a reason. It was strange for them to do something like this but after what happened at St. Vladimir's eighteen years ago I wasn't actually all that surprised, I'd kind of been waiting for them to do something like this again. This something was taking prisoners and waiting for us to launch a rescue mission. And they'd picked their bait well. They obviously knew what Abe did and how much we needed him.

"He also gets the vast majority of our feeders."

"Shit." I muttered.

No feeders meant no Moroi. No Moroi meant no Dhampirs. No Dhampirs meant Strigoi would thrive.

We all hurriedly sat down and belted up so we could be in the air sooner. I sat with Mom who was now white as a ghost. I didn't think she should have a part in this – her feelings for him would get in the way of her judgement – but I knew she wouldn't get of the plane either.

"Let Simona and Dimitri lead this one, Mom." I said. "They'll know what to do and Dimitri knows Russia better than you."

"I was going to anyway. Maybe Ibrahim should have kept the _nazar_."

"Yeah maybe."

"Rose," Anna stopped by my chair.

"What are you still doing here?" I asked.

"Didn't have time to get off. Simona wants you up front."

I squeezed Mom's hand and went to the front of the plane. There was already a map set out and Dimitri was looking at it. Several places had been marked out in isolated areas including one just outside Novosibirsk. Memories of my time there when Dimitri was a Strigoi came crashing back, the night on the bridge when I was sure I'd killed him at the forefront of my mind. He'd marked out all the places where he knew Strigoi used to stay. Whether they did any more or not was a different matter. But it was a start. There were seven sites with pins in them. We had a lot of ground to cover. We also needed to rustle up a large amount of guardians. Quickly.

"Suggestions." Simona asked just as my phone rang. She let me answer it.

I stepped away and flipped the phone open but the person on the other end of the line began talking before I could say anything.

"Hathaway, I take it you've heard about Abe." The voice sounded stressed.

"Sydney?"

"Yes it's me. I take it you've been to Baia recently."

"Yeah, Viktoria died."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." There was a trace of sadness in her voice. She hadn't spoken much to Dimitri's family when we'd been there all those yeas ago but it sounded like they'd made a lasting impression. "Anyway, Ibrahim. What do you know?"

"Not much. Just that he's been kidnapped. Dimitri knows various sites where Strigoi used to hang out. But that's it."

"You make it sound like they're having a party." She snorted, I laughed. "They can't have gone far it was almost dawn when they took him. We've hacked into satellite cameras and are keeping an eye out around a fifty mile radius of Baia. I take it you're going to St. Basils?"

"Yep, we're still a way away but we're getting there as quickly as we can."

"I'll meet you there."

"I thought you hated Russia." I joked.

"Well when you become his personal assistant and you still owe him a favour…" she clicked off the phone.

I relayed what she'd told me to Simona. She nodded in response and drew a rough circle on the map. One place was in the circle which Dimitri had marked. Novosibirsk. Dimitri visibly flinched and paled at the prospect of having to go back there. I put what I hoped was a reassuring hand on his back and stood close to him. Simona noticed and let some sympathy come into her eyes.

"There's room for fifty strigoi in there." Dimitri said.

"Fifty?" I asked. There hadn't been that many when we were there last. There was no way I would have survived if there was.

"They were mostly out hunting that night." He said once again knowing the thoughts that I didn't speak out loud.

"We're not even going close unless we know for sure that Abe is in there." Simona said. "We can't risk losing that many guardians."

"What about fire users?" Anna piped up. I hadn't registered her presence before. I was about to say the same thing.

"Wouldn't Christian love to be here." Lissa murmured. "And Anya."

There wasn't much more we could do now apart from wait for the plane to land which it did in time. As soon as we landed we all headed for a meeting room in the administrative building in St. Basil's. Sydney, true to form, was waiting there looking much the same as when I'd last seen her only weathered slightly. And sleep deprived. She seemed to know everyone present apart form Anna and guessed who Dimitri was so introductions were quick.

"Anything new?" Mom asked.

"No movement yet as such. A human leaves the building in Novosibirsk every five hours to get food, we could intercept one of them but they might tell the Strigoi."

"No they won't." Lissa said. "I'll compulse them."

Sydney told us what rout they took to get to the town. It was the same one I took to leave the house. I was transported back eighteen years to that cold night; how the rain fell when I thought I'd killed him mourning his death and the death I imagined for myself along with him. The bridge was exactly the same and both Dimitri and I knew the exact spot where we'd almost killed each other. This time it was me to visibly flinch and Dimitri put an arm round my waist.

"Abe's guardians, the two who are left, are already in Novosibirsk waiting for orders. We can get there in a few hours and we can maybe catch the next one who arrives."

"Well let's go then." Mom said and headed for the door.

I caught up with her. "Mom, I think you should stay here." I said tentatively half expecting a second black eye from her.

"I can help you!"

"By staying here and rounding up some guardians."

"She has a point, Janine." Simona said. "Stay here and gather as may guardians as you can. You know the drill."

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**As ever _Richelle Mead_ owns VA not me, tho I wish I did. **


	5. The Ally

**Hey guys, sorry for my slowness but here it is CHAPTER 5! I hope you all like it so let my know what you think by reviewing. **

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She nodded stiffly and left the room to go the head guardian's office, Dimitri sent a reluctant Anna with her. We moved out soon after that all kitted up with in ear microphones. The drive took a couple of hours and we met up with Abe's guardians outside a night club.

"Levi." Sydney nodded to who I guessed was the leader.

"Sydney, what's the plan? The next one will be here in twenty minutes."

"We're just in time." She said. "Let Dimitri do the talking. Queen Vasilisa is going to compulse whoever comes."

He nodded and he and his other man took positions in the street. Dimitri and I waited in a café, posing as a couple on a date and Lissa sat near by with Simona pretending to be family. Sydney sank into the shadows. Whilst we waited Dimitri ordered us some hot chocolate and we talked about what we thought Christian would be thinking right now. I guessed he was probably jealous that he wasn't able to join in. Anya would be too.

"Target in sight." Levi said. "Close to the ally. Move in."

Dimitri left enough money for the drinks and a tip on the table and we casually made our way out of the café hand in hand. We were closer to the ally than Levi was and were just behind the person we were going to question. We both knew her. Inna, the same woman from back then who had given me food. She turned down the ally way. We followed. I felt nausea roll over me. One glance was all Dimitri needed. He would go for Inna, I'd get the Strigoi.

She began running as soon as she was in the ally. We ran too. The strigoi leapt out and lunged for Dimitri. I leapt at him and tackled him to the ground but he was so much faster. He was _old_. Like Isaiah. The scrape of my stake along his chest to distract him barely made him flinch. He pinned me down with his mighty strength his grasp breaking my arms. I cried out in pain, anguish and fear. I hadn't been quick enough just like Dimitri hadn't been back in the cave. The Strigoi's head came close to my neck and I knew for sure I was going to die. His grip tightened crushing bone and turning muscle into mush. I could feel blood beneath me. I cried out again on the verge of unconsciousness. And then he was gone.

I had the vague impression of temperature change and spirit lighting up the bond then being held in someone's arms. Stuff began to get clearer and I could see Dimitri looking down at me. Lissa was hovering over his shoulder.

"Well that hurt." I said as I sat up. "Thanks, Liss."

"No problem." I could see the relief in her face. I stood up and gave her a hug. "Oh my God I thought he was going to kill you." She babbled.

"I'm fine, Liss. You saved my ass again."

She sniffed and stood up properly. As soon as she did Dimitri pulled me into a fierce hug.

"Don't ever do that again."

"Like hell I won't. You know me rushing in without thinking and getting in trouble. I live on the adrenalin rush it gives me." I was pretty sure I'd said that to him before at some point.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head a little something I hadn't seen him do in years. It transported me back to the first time I met Simona and was surprised that he knew her as well. _"Jesus Comrade, is there anyone you don't know?" _I'd said.

"Alright, let's get back to St. Basil's." Dimitri said.

"Wait, you dealt with Inna?" I asked astonished at their speed.

"Yes, she doesn't know. It makes sense," he continued as we walked. "She never knew everything when I was there either."

"Jesus Comrade, how long was I out for?"

He momentarily stopped in his tracks. Yeah, I hadn't called him that since before he was a Strigoi. I was kind of surprised myself. He smiled a full smile. I hadn't seen one of those since he turned back and it almost had me crying. He still wasn't completely back to his old self – I didn't think he ever would be – but he wasn't as broken as he used to be. He still took long walks to think about what he'd done and spent time in church on Sundays – whether that was to reassure everyone he wasn't turning Strigoi any time soon or if it was just because he always had I don't know – but that smile, that first smile was golden and wonderful.

"Come on, Roza, let's go."

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Mom was anxiously waiting with Anna when we arrived back at St. Basil's. Mom didn't need to ask how it went, something in my eyes must have told her that.

"Couldn't you just send someone in there?" Anna naively asked with a shrug of her shoulders.

"No." Dimitri snapped more angry at her way of asking than the question. "It's too dangerous." He said more calmly. "We can't risk it."

I looked towards Simona who I noticed had suddenly changed posture at Anna's suggestion like she had an idea. We exchanged a glance and then looked back to everyone else before anyone noticed.

"We won't be able to get them out once they're in." I warned. We were a little way off from the group but we still kept our voices low.

"Abe is worth it. If we don't get him back the alchemists won't be able to do their jobs properly and we'll all be discovered." Simona said. "And we won't have any feeders."

"He might already be dead. Or worse."

"In which case we have to kill him. That still means sending someone in there."

"Unless…"

I told her what I did in order to find Dimitri when he was Strigoi, how I tortured them and managed to send a message inside. If we could do that again and then kill any who weren't useful we could find out where he was. It would take time, time we didn't necessarily have. That hadn't been a factor for me back then – Dimitri was already a Strigoi – and it wasn't something I had considered back then. It wasn't the best plan in the world this time round given our time constraints, but it was a better alternative.

"The thing is we need speed on this one." Simona sighed in frustration.

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**So that was it. Let me know what you think.**

**Oh, _Richelle Mead_ is the genious who owns VA.**


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